2018 bombing of Damascus and Homs

The 2018 bombing of Damascus and Homs was a series of military strikes carried out by the naval and air forces of the United States, the United Kingdom, and France against multiple government sites in Syria. The coalition strikes were in response to a 7 April 2018 chemical attack in Douma, which killed at least 70 people; the attack was blamed on the Assad regime and its chief allies, Russia and Iran.

Retaliation against Syria had been threatened by United States president Donald Trump earlier that week, and the US allies of Britain and France stated that they would join the USA in launching retaliatory strikes against Syria. The Allies targeted a research center in the capital of Damascus, a chemical weapons storage facility near Homs, and an equipment storage facility and command post also near Homs. The Allies launched 105 cruise missiles, with the US Navy firing 66 Tomahawk missiles, the US Air Force firing 19 JASSM-ER missiles, the French Air Force firing 9 SCALP missiles, the Royal Air Force firing 8 Storm Shadow missiles, and the French Navy firing 3 MdCN missiles. Syria responded by using its air defense systems to intercept and destroy over 65 of the missiles. The missiles launched at the Homs research center fell away from their target, and another missile strike on Homs was aborted. Three civilians in Homs were injured during the strikes, but no other casualties were reported; instead, there was considerable material damage.

In his live White House address to the US public at 9:00 PM on 13 April (4:00 AM in Syria), President Trump warned President Assad that there would be a sustained campaign of air raids until he stopped using chemical weapons. However, General Joseph Dunford announced that the bombing was a one-time affair, and that strikes would only resume if Assad continued to use chemical weapons.